Aberdeen Central (Class AA) and three area Class A schools come up short in SoDak 16

BROOKINGS — Three-run homers by Sarita Stevenson and Aleia Johnston highlighted a 12-run eighth-inning outburst that carried Watertown High School's softball team into next week's state Class AA tournament.

The ninth-seeded Arrows (11-9) used the uprising to snap a 6-6 tie and held on to beat eighth-seeded Brookings 18-13, avening a regular-season loss to the Bobcats.

The state tournament runs May 30-June 1 at Aberdeen. Watertown plays the opening game at 10 a.m. on May 30 against No. 1 Sioux Falls Lincoln (19-0).

"OMG, it was home-run central tonight," Watertown head coach Kelli Brinka said. "Twenty-one of the 31 runs scored in the game came off home runs."

Brookings outhomered Watertown 11-3 in the game. The Bobcats, however, hit eigth solo homers. Watertown had the two three-run homers and a two-run homer.

Here's more on the Watertown-Brookings game along with highlights from other Class AA and Class A SoDak 16 playoff games involving area teams on Wednesday.

Class AA (Watertown 18, Brookings 13)

Brookings used a two-run homer by Kymber Buys in the bottom of the first inning and solo shots by Layla Jacobsma and Kinzey Grendler in the second to lead 4-0.

Watertown rallied with a three-run fourth tgrabbed a 6-5 lead with a three-run sixth that included a two-run homer by Lauryn Hirsch. Brookings tied the game on Megan Wadsworth's run-scoring single in the bottom of the sixth.

Neither team scored in the seventh to bring on extra innings. The Arrows came up big in the top of the eighth, also getting run-scoring hits from Kynslee Johnson, Alexa Brown, Jade Lund, Emmy Berglund and Kinsley Van Gilder. Stevenson added a run-scoring single to go with her homer.

"We showed up tonight and played our best softball when it mattered," Brinka said. "The giorls brough such a great energy. They were upbeat, engaged and focused through the entire game."

Brookings didn't give up, getting a three-run homer by Kylie Moe and back-to-back solo shots by Sydney Bebensee, Buys and Tess Burns in the bottom of the eighth but Watertown held on.

Watertown's 13-hit attack included two-hit performances by Van Gilder, Brown, Hirsch and Stevenson. Johnston and Stevenson drove in four runs apiece. Brown and Van Gilder also pitched in the game along with Hirsch, who got the win in relief.

Morgan Norgaard went 3-for-5 with a homer for Brookings (10-8).

"Brookings got up on us early and hit so many home runs but we stayed eight with them, making huge plays in the field and having such timely hits," Brinka said. "I am so proud of the girls. We are excited to be heading to state for the first time."

Watertown did not qualify for state in 2023, the first year of softball as a sanctioned sport by the South Dakota High School Activities Association.

Class AA (No. 3 SF Washington 15, No. 14 Aberdeen Central 0)

SIOUX FALLS — Washington used a 11-run outburst in the bottom of the third inning to cruise to the win in the four-inning game.

Isabela Carda drove in five runs with two home runs (a three-run shot and a two-run shot both in the third) and Emma Hensley scattered two hits with no walks and six strikeouts on the mound.

Ayrlie Waldo and Alivia Roettele each singled for the Golden Eagles, who finished the season 4-15.

SoDSak 16 Softball, State Pairings: State Class AA, A and B tournament scheduled for May 30-June 1 at Aberdeen

Class A (No. 6 Beresford 6, No. 11 Mobridge-Pollock 2)

SIOUX FALLS — Beresford (15-9) mixed two three-run innings with a three-hitter on the mound from Rylie Laurvick.

Laurvick struck out five and didn't walk a batter in the win for the Watchdogs, who took advantage of seven walks.

Michelle Merkel doubled and tripled and Amber Vetch contributed a single for the Tigers (14-5). Grace Overland allowed only three hits and three earned runs with nine strikeouts.

State Track: The athletes to watch at the South Dakota state track meet in Sioux Falls

Class A (No. 10 Elk Point-Jefferson 11, No. 7 Sioux Valley 7)

VOLGA — A four-run top of the seventh pushed Elk Point-Jefferson (9-9) past the Cossacks.

Hannah Nearman's three-run double snapped a 7-7 tie and Molly Geary followed with run-scoring triple. Aynslee Goetzinger, Cera Schmitz, Paige Jacobs and Geary each collected two hits.

Abby Axtell went 2-for-3 for Sioux Valley, which closed out its season with a 15-6 record.

Class A (No. 5 Tri-Valley 11, No. 12 Sisseton 0)

SIOUX FALLS — Emry Jones ande Izzy Davey each collected three-run, inside-the-park homers to spark Tri-Valley to the three-inning win.

Jones, Davey and reese Wilt each tallied two hits for Tri-Valley (13-7), which got a no-hitter with nine strikeouts from Jones.

Haedyn Schindelblower walked to become Sisseton's only base runner in the game. Kate Meyer took the loss.

Sisseton concluded its season with a 3-13 record.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Highlights from state-qualifying games for area AA, A softball teams